The idea of adding a new second level domain (2LD) has been raised again with a proposal put to InternetNZ (formerly the Internet Society) for the creation of a .maori.nz level.

InternetNZ’s convenor for such submissions, Steven Heath says the main difference between the latest proposal and the previous one - which was rejected by InternetNZ - is that it will be an unmoderated level. Moderated levels require someone's permission before a website is allowed to use the 2LD, whereas an unmoderated one would allow anyone to sign up for a .maori.nz site.

In January the Bankers Association put forward a proposal to add .bank.nz but it failed to make the required number of votes needed for it to continue through InternetNZ’s rigorous assessment process.

“It’s not easy, but yet not impossible,” says Heath.

The process can take up to eight months with a formal request for discussion followed by a straw vote which is the first hurdle to clear.

“They must get at least 70% of the vote and have at least 200 votes for it to go any further.”

After that there is a formal submissions period, followed by an interim ruling and discussion followed by a final ruling from the council.

“The bank 2LD proposal involved having a discussion list, a website to gather all the documentation together and another site to vote at - this time I’m hoping we can have a more unified approach although that may take a week or so to pull together.”

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